Agri and allied sector to grow by 3.5 pc this fiscal: Pawar

NEW DELHI: The growth of agriculture and allied sector is expected to rise to 3.5 per cent this fiscal from 0.2 per cent in the previous year on account of higher foodgrains production, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said today.

"The growth of agriculture and allied sector is expected to be 3.5 per cent this fiscal," Pawar told reporters here.

The sector during the first and second quarter of FY'11 grew by 2.5 per cent and 4.4 per cent, respectively.

The minister said the food situation was comfortable and production of wheat, rice, pulses and sugarcane would be higher than last year.

"I don't see problem in wheat, rice, pulses and sugarcane crops. We are in a comfortable position. Oilseeds, we have to work more," he said.

India's foodgrains output in 2009-10 crop year had declined to 218.2 million tonnes from the record production of 234.47 million tonnes in 2008-09 on account of severe drought conditions that hit almost half of the country.

The Agriculture Ministry is estimating the foodgrains' production in 2010-11 would be between 230-234 million tonnes and might even beat the record production of 2008-09.

Pawar noted that wheat crop is extremely good in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. "My observation is that wheat crop will be better than last year".

The Agriculture Ministry is targeting wheat production of 82 million tonnes in 2010-11 crop year (July-June) as against record 80.71 million tonnes in the previous year.

On paddy, he said: " By and large, the crop is good. The (paddy) crop was damaged because of unseasonal rains. The damage is in terms of discolour and spots but quantity wise, there is no problem".